He plans to sue the PSNI for his detention and has claimed he is now under death threat as a result of the political fallout that threatens the power-sharing structures.

He said: “It has added to the distress of my family.

“I believe that threat is a direct result of last week’s unjust and wrongful arrest. I believe it has nothing to do with the death of Kevin McGuigan but that it has to do with the charade that we have publicly seen play out in the last week.”

He added: “I totally reject these scurrilous allegations around my arrest and any suggestion that I personally would do anything to damage the Sinn Fein peace strategy or the peace process that we have worked so hard to build and advance.

“Let me be very clear, the people who carried out these killings, whether they are individual criminals or gangs like Action Against Drugs – who are a hybrid of pseudo republicans, criminals and extortionists – are anti-republican, indeed anti-community.”

The Andersonstown man said no evidence was put to him or his solicitor during his time in Antrim.

He told Belfast Media Group: “There was nothing about the actual murder of Kevin McGuigan that was in any way specific to me, generally speaking any questions that were put about his death could have been put to anyone, really.

“Over the two days there were around eight lengthy interviews. There was nothing said to me which in my opinion and in the opinion of my solicitor which warranted my arrest.

“My solicitor regularly raised the absence of any evidence, the length of interviews, the time-wasting gaps between interviews and the repetitive nature of the questioning."

Mr Storey hit out at what he said was “trial by media” over “wild accusations”.

He added: “I have grave concerns at both the nature and timing of my arrest. There are also concerns that unionist politicians and sections of the media appeared to have advance knowledge that I was going to be arrested. The fact that it came at a highly important time politically when we are involved in talks also raises many questions.

“The murders of Jock Davison and Kevin McGuigan were criminal acts and those responsible should be brought before the courts. Sinn Fein has publicly called for anyone with information to come forward to the PSNI and I repeat that call today.

“The only way to deal with these killings is through the criminal justice system.

“Over the course of recent years I have played a significant role in the development of Sinn Féin’s policy in support of an accountable police service and of working political institutions. My commitment to that remains fast and neither I nor my party will be deflected from that by the actions of criminals.”